8B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY MAY 7 2008
MLB
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Philadelphia Phillies' Jamie Moyer delivers a pitch during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday in Phoenix.
Phillies pitcher still strong in 558th start
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PHOENIX — Jamie Moyer wanted to set the tone when the Philadelphia Phillies opened a seven-game trip to Arizona and San Francisco.
He pitched seven strong innings and had an RBI double Monday night in an 11-4 victory over the Diamondbacks in a matchup of division leaders.
"It's a big road trip for us, coming west of the Mississippi, and that's a good way to get started," Moyer said.
Moyer, a career .141 hitter, singled and doubled for the fifth multi-hit game in his career.
"When you put the bat on the ball, you never know what can happen," Moyer said.
The 45-year-old Moyer outpitched 23-year-old Arizona rookie Max Scherzer, who was born on July 27, 1984 — less than two years before Moyer made his major league debut.
Scherzer threw 98 mph fastballs in his first major league start. Moyer, making in his 558th start, countered with an assortment pitches that topped out in the low 80s.
"That's amazing sometimes how that 98 (mph) gets hit and that 78 wins," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "I think the law of gravity grabs it sometimes."
In other NL games Monday, it was: Cincinnati 5, Chicago 3; St. Louis 6, Colorado 5; and the Los Angeles Dodgers 5, the New York Mets 1.
Scherzer (0-1) talked as if he had received a pitching tutorial
"He rope-a-dopes you to death," Scherzer said. "I know firsthand, he throws a 74 mile-an-hour change, then backs it up with a 71 mile-an-hour change. He's cutting it to both sides of the plate at 81 or 82, and his fastball's about the same velocity, but he knows how to pitch. Been doing it awhile."
from Moyer.
Moyer chuckled when asked if he remembered his first start — a victory for the Chicago Cubs over Philadelphia's Steve Carlton on June 16, 1986.
"It was against my idol, Steve Carlton, so it was pretty exciting," Moyer said.
And did Moyer hit 98 mph on the radar gun that day?
"Back then, I don't think they had radar guns," he said.
Moyer kept the Diamondbacks off balance all night, retiring 10 straight between the second and fifth innings. In the fourth, he struck out Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds looking on 81 mph fastballs, and they shook their heads as they walked back to the dugout.
In his longest outing this season, Moyer (2-2) allowed two runs and six hits, struck out five and walked none.
Moyer won for the first time since April 8, a span of six starts. He said he has plenty to work on before his next start.
"It's still a work in progress," Moyer said. "I feel like you taking some small steps. But the consistency that I would like is just not quite where I want it."
Moyer had plenty of support on a night the Phillies managed a season-high 17 hits.
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CHICAGO—Gavin Floyd's nohit bid lasted until the ninth this time.
Canada's Zach Bell competes in the Men's Points Race during the Pan-American Cycling Championship in Montevideo, Tuesday, May 6.
Joe Mauer doubled with one out off Chicago's young right-hander for the Minnesota Twins' only hit and Floyd had to settle for a 7-1 victory Tuesday night as the White Sox ended a six-game losing streak.
White Sox hold Twins to one run
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Chicago ends six-game losing streak
》 MLB
Floyd (3-1) was taken out to a standing ovation after Mauer's dou
center and Bobby Jenks came on to get the final two outs.
Floyd, who held Detroit hitless for 7 1-3 innings on April 12 before Edgar Renteria singled, walked
Minnesota Twins "Joe Mauer triples" off Chicago White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd in the first in a baseball game. April 29 in Minnesota.
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After Floyd walked Mauer to lead off the fourth, Justin Morneau hit a slicing liner to left that Quentin got his glove on but couldn't hold for an error. One out later, Jason Kubel's sacrifice fly gave the Twins a run without a hit and cut Chicago's lead to 3-1.
who threw 105 pitches.
After Morneau reached on the error, the 6-foot-5 Floyd got stronger and appeared on his way to pitching the second-no hitter at U.S. Cellular Field in just more than a year.
The only run the Twins could muster was aided by an error on Chicago left fielder Carlos Quentin in the fourth inning.
three and struck out four. The only run the Twins could muster was aided by an error on Chicago left fielder Carlos Quentin in the fourth inning.
With a spirited crowd at U.S. Cellular, Field cheering loudly, Brendan Harris struck out looking at a curveball to start the ninth inning. As the tension built, Mauer drove a ball into the gap — Chicago center fielder Nick Swisher made a diving attempt but was about a foot short — to end Floyd's bid and his night.
Manager Ozzie Guillen then popped out of the dugout and went to get his 25-year-old right-hander,
M a r k B u e h r l e pitched the 16th no-hitter in White Sox's history on April 18, 2007 against Texas.
Floyd is a former first- round pick of
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire missed his fourth straight game following the death of his brother last Thursday. He is expected to rejoin the team Wednesday.
Floyd took his first loss of the season in his previous outing against the Twins in the Metrodome on April 29 when he gave up five hits
inning win over the Mets almost two year ago on May 11, 2006.
He was 1-5 a year ago when he made 10 starts for the White Sox while splitting time between the majors and Triple-A. But he has found his confidence and his stuff this season as the White Sox's No. 5 starter.
the Phillies whose career never took off in Philadelphia where he was 7-5 with a 6.96 ERA from 2004-06 when he made 19 starts. He joined the White Sox along with Gio Gonzalez in a trade for Freddy Garcia in December, 2006.
And on a comfortable 70-degree night, he kept the Twins in check for most of the night. His only career complete game was a five-
He survived a shaky first Tuesday night, walking two of the first three batters before escaping the threat.
and three runs in six innings.
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Chicago White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd tries unsuccessfully to pick off Minnesota Twins' Punko on first base in the third inning of a baseball game April 29 in Minneapolis.